


Next In Line

by changenotcoins



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: AU, Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, High Politics, Politics, Slow Burn, Smut, US Senate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:42:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28076421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/changenotcoins/pseuds/changenotcoins
Summary: When newly minted Senator Leslie Knope begins receiving threatening letters from a constiuent, her advisor, Jen Barkley, decides to hire  bodyguard Ben Wyatt to protect her. His true identity needs to be kept a secret, so Jen decides that he must pose as Leslie's boyfriend instead. Damn Jen Barkley and her radical proposition, as it might just be the setup Leslie never knew she needed.
Relationships: Leslie Knope/Ben Wyatt
Comments: 20
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The title is the name of a song by Walk The Moon, a fave of mine. I thought it went well with this fic. This chapter is short, but more will follow, and they will be lengthier. It's rated explicit for later content. Enjoy. <3

_The latest buzz around the United States Senate is that Leslie Knope, the hottest new Senator to hit the scene in quite a while, will need to make room for even more acclaim this year. Of course, this should really be of no surprise, given the accolades that she has already garnered from her debut as a political powerhouse, and her role within several high impact committees. If the looks Senator Knope has treated us to over the past several months are anything to go on, we might be in for a treat at the next White House event she is invited to, but what we really can’t wait to see is who the Senator will bring as her date to upcoming events. If she doesn’t have someone in mind, we know about a hundred guys who will volunteer. — Matthew Taylor, New York Times, October 7th, 2018._

\-------------------------------------------

“No fucking way!”

“Leslie, please be reasonable about this - ”

“ _Reasonable_? You tell me you want to hire a bodyguard to follow me around every minute of my life and you think _I’m_ the one being unreasonable? I don’t need a babysitter!” Leslie Knope, overnight Senate sensation and potential Time Magazine Person of the Year threw up her hands in disgust and flashed a scorching glare at her longtime friend and most trusted political advisor.

Jen Barkley sighed and reached up to rub her slightly graying temples in an effort to stave off yet another tension headache. “Of course you don’t need a babysitter, but these letters you’ve been getting lately really have us worried and we don’t want to take any chances.”

“I keep telling you they’re no big deal. Plus, I’ve already got Richard. The man’s built like a mountain. A really pissed off mountain.”

“But Richard’s only there for big public events and we really need someone to be with you all the time. Not just events and such, but off-time and at home too. You know we’ve always been extra careful about your safety given who you are and how honest you’ve been, but these letters… well, we’re just concerned and feel it’s time to step things up.”

“How am I supposed to live my life with some hulk as my constant shadow? And what about the constituents?” Leslie bit out, pacing the room like a bored polar bear at the zoo, her heels tapping out a rhythm on the floors. “What are they going to think when they see poor, helpless Leslie Knope, who can’t go anywhere without her security blanket?”

“That won’t be an issue. We don’t want it to get out that you might have a stalker,” Jen looked down at her desk, suddenly fascinated by a dust bunny that was poking out from beneath her keyboard. “That’s a distraction we don’t need as a newly minted Senator who has so much potential, so we hired someone who’s your age and doesn’t look like a bodyguard.”

There was no response from Leslie, so Jen snuck a look over at her, only to find her staring at her incredulously.

“You’ve _hired_ him already? Without talking to me first?”

“Leslie, we needed to move fast on this and the perfect candidate came to our attention. He wasn’t going to be free for long, so we had to snap him up.”

“Why does it matter that he doesn’t look like a bodyguard? If he’s with me all the time, the press will pick up on it fast enough no matter what he looks like.”

Jen took a deep breath and braced herself before dropping the final bomb. “Not if we tell them he’s your boyfriend.”

\-------------------------------------------

Ben Wyatt sat patiently in the perfectly kept reception area of Senator Leslie Knope’s office, waiting to be called in to meet his new client. He knew who Leslie Knope was, of course. Anyone who paid attention to politics – or even any celebrity gossip news outlet - did. She’d been all over the magazines and internet and television since she had been sworn in this past January. It was a story the media couldn’t get enough of: A Senator elected to fulfill the obligations and promises and dreams she shared with her citizens, a woman who had started in the Parks and Recreation Department in small town Pawnee, Indiana, wanting to join high politics because she cared and wanted to truly make a difference. A politician unlike any that had come before her, someone who, Ben thought, was maybe _too_ good for the Senate.

A feminist with a passion for helping every single person she came across, she had instantly become a hero to women and youth everywhere. And, he knew, the blonde hair and the blue eyes drew people to her for more than just her political views. 

Ben certainly had been. He had been following her career, and he was impressed, to say the least. She was the type of politician he could root for, whose values matched his own. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t giddy about the fact that his new client was her. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and licked his lips, in an effort to quell his nerves. He had never really known what it was like to meet one of his idols – could he call her that? – but he was about to, and his pulse quickened at the idea that he would actually be able to discuss politics with her, rather than debating with her while she was on his television screen as he sat at home on his couch, making points with someone who couldn’t hear him or spar back, miles away in the DC swamp. 

Ben had been surprised to be offered the assignment. Ever since he’d been recruited to his private protection firm, Ben had specialized in the protection of the children of the uber rich and powerful. His small stature, non-threatening demeanor, and charming personality made him an instant hit with children and helped him blend in; perfect for families that didn’t want to call attention to the fact that they’d hired a bodyguard.

He’d actually gone to college with the plan of becoming a math teacher, so he was happy to work with kids. In fact, Leslie’s advisor had suggested that they use his background as part of his cover while working with Leslie. He would be pretending to be Leslie’s boyfriend, a former childhood friend from Pawnee that had recently become reacquainted with the Senator. The story would be that he was a former nanny who was in the process of relocating to Indiana. Not being part of the political spectrum would hopefully keep the media from paying too much attention to him and the cover would also explain how he was able to spend so much time with Leslie and not at a job of his own.

Ben reached up to straighten his tie, making sure it was lying flat against his plain light blue button-down. He took a quick glance at his pocket watch, the only personal indulgence he allowed himself while on the job, and wondered how much longer it would be before he was brought in to meet his client. A yelp suddenly rang out from behind the door, followed by a high-pitched screech of “Boyfriend?” Ben took that as his cue and stood up, smoothing the wrinkles from his slacks. The door to the office opened and Jen Barkley sheepishly beckoned Ben inside. He gave her an easy smile, hoping to relieve her of any guilt she might have about the situation.

He scanned the room as he entered, making note of the layout, the position of the windows and door, and the locations of the two people within. Threat assessment had become second nature to him now and he found himself searching out the nearest exits even when he wasn’t on duty.

Leslie Knope was standing against the huge double-paned windows - worst possible location in the event of an incident - her back to the room, arms held rigidly at her side. The tension in her spine was obvious even through the thick fall sweater she was wearing.

Jen shut the door and nervously looked between the two of them, her head bouncing back and forth like she was watching a tennis match. “Leslie Knope, I’d like you to meet Ben Wyatt.”

Leslie turned and looked Ben up and down with an insulting thoroughness before raising an eyebrow and giving a dismissive sneer. “ _Him_? He doesn’t look like a bodyguard. He’s too small.”

Ben flashed a practiced grin, not bothered by Leslie’s reaction. “That’s kind of the idea, isn’t it? To not look like a bodyguard, I mean.” He strode forward and held his hand out in greeting, daring Leslie to refuse to shake it.

Leslie stared at the hand for a moment, before reluctantly grasping it in her own and giving it a quick shake. The contact was brief, but Ben felt a spark travel up his arm and down his spine, like the feeling he used to get when his brother Henry would scuff his feet on the carpet and then touch Ben to give him an electrical shock. A wave of attraction broke over him and he struggled to push it away. He couldn’t afford to feel that way about a client. The risks were too great, especially when he had to build trust between them.

Leslie looked him over carefully from head to toe. “Jen, can you leave us alone for a minute?”

Jen seemed like she was about to argue, but instead turned on her very expensive heel and left the room, closing the door behind her. Leslie leaned her hips back against the desk as she crossed her arms, wariness evident in every inch of her body. “I don't need a personal bodyguard.”

“Your advisor seems to think differently.”

Leslie threw Ben a disgruntled look and moved to the cherry wood table at the far side of the room to pour a glass of water.

“Are you worried I’ll cramp your style?” Ben asked. “Get in the way of you cutting a path through the Senate? Or another man you're interested in who might feel threatened by my presence?”

Leslie’s hand slipped and she missed the glass, pouring water out onto the table top. “N-no, I-I just don't see the need. Everyone is just overreacting. The letters are nothing. Just a constituent who doesn’t know how to correctly express their admiration.” She sopped up the spilled water with a napkin, which she threw into a nearby trash can before trying again to fill the glass. “Plus, I don’t like the idea of you posing as my boyfriend. It doesn’t feel right, being dishonest with people like that.”

“Jen said it was necessary in order to keep news of a potential stalker quiet.”

Leslie snorted in cynical amusement. “Are you really that naïve? Yes, talk of a stalker right now might be a little distracting, but probably much less so than that of a boyfriend. Jen’s just taking advantage of the situation and using the boyfriend angle as free publicity.”

Ben chuckled, shaking his head as he took a seat on the leather sofa.

“What you are smiling about?”

“I’m not here to take away from what you’re trying to do within the Senate. You’re destined to do big and great things, whether I’m here or not.”

Leslie stared at him for a second before a slight smile broke through, her beautiful blue eyes looking off into the distance for a second. “Yeah, well... that’s the goal anyway.” The two exchanged looks, sharing a moment. “So, what are your qualifications? I wasn’t kidding earlier when I said you look too small to be a bodyguard.”

“I’ve been a bodyguard for two years, working almost exclusively with kids. Jen has a file on me if you’d like to see information on all of my training. I’m good at my job, Senator Knope. I promise.”

“You’ll be in the magazines, on the entertainment sites, Huffington Post, New York Times, The Washington Post... the list goes on. Will this ruin your cover for other jobs?”

Ben shook his head, having already anticipated the question. “My cover is usually that I’m a nanny or tutor for the kids I’m protecting. We’ll use the nanny background here too and when I return to those jobs, this publicity will actually reinforce my cover.”

“Are you going to be okay with the press saying we’re dating? I mean, are you - ”

“You’re worried I have a wife somewhere who won’t be pleased with me dating a Senator as my cover story? No. Don’t worry. I understand what it is I’m signing up for. It won’t be a problem.”

Leslie considered him for a moment, her body language clearly indicating that she was still cautious of Ben, still uncomfortable with the whole situation, but she finally gave a deep sigh and seemed to come to a decision. She opened the door and called Jen - who was hovering so near the door she had to have been eavesdropping - back into the office.

“Against my better judgment, I’m going to agree to hire Ben, but - ” she held up a finger to halt Jen’s forthcoming celebration. “I need him to be less of a bodyguard and more of an… extra pair of eyes. I don’t need someone in reflective glasses standing behind me lurking all the time and I won’t have someone dictating where I can go and what I can do. This will be the most casual bodyguard assignment ever or it won’t happen. Got it? Also, I want to put a hold on making a boyfriend announcement. Let’s have Ben just start being around and see if the press makes anything of it. If they do, we’ll deal with it then.”

Jen didn’t look happy at the turn of events, but nodded her agreement, smart enough to quit while she was ahead.

“Oh, and one more thing - ” she looked pointedly at Ben, lips pursed, and he knew this wasn’t exactly her definition of a good time, “ - no more calling me Senator Knope. If you're going to be my boyfriend, you might as well call me Leslie.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! The holidays and my personal life held up the update, but new chapters should be coming more frequently now. I also have no affiliation or any rights when it comes to TMZ, which is referenced in this chapter. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_Senator Leslie Knope Trading Bills for a Boyfriend?_

_Washington’s new golden girl might just be harboring a secret. An extensive week long investigation has uncovered that the junior Senator could have a new love interest. Senator Knope and her new flame were spotted at a restaurant frequented by Indiana’s local politicians. We don’t know much about her romantic past, but what we do know is that these two would make a very cute couple! Will we know more soon about her mystery man? Stay tuned for the latest updates. — TMZ, October 15th, 2018._

\-------------------------------------------

Leslie stopped her car at a red light and looked over at the near-stranger occupying the passenger seat. A stranger who was going to be living in _her_ house. Ben caught her looking and flashed a confident smile. Leslie grumbled to herself and redirected her focus back to the road. Didn’t this situation make Ben uncomfortable at all? It didn’t seem like it did. He just sat there with his stupid – beautiful and charming, damn him – smile, perfectly rigid hair, and ridiculous eyelashes (seriously, how did the guy even lift his eyelids?) flickering over eyes the color of chocolate.

Being alone with a man, at least one that wasn’t a close friend or family member, wasn’t something that Leslie was very comfortable with. She had spent the first two years of high school the subject of general bullying by the brainless cattle that occupied Indiana’s education system, at the mercy of their petty – and frankly unimaginative – torments. She had thought that there could be nothing worse, but unfortunately, she had been proven wrong. Towards the beginning of her junior year, she had become the target of a specific brand of hate and violence that made her long for the halcyon days of childhood. She had hated being a victim, but hadn’t seen a way out, so she had just tried to endure. She loved Pawnee, always had, and had strived to make it a better place, but her peers had given her hell for it. They would never understand her and her need to help and to change the world. They were beneath her, not appreciative of her talent, intelligence and largely underserving of her assistance and care, but she would do it anyways, no matter how much they pained her. She’d endured their harassment and used it as fuel for her visions and her passions. Politics was a world not unlike the high school bullying one, and she knew she could survive the bloodbath, just like she had survived everything else that life had thrown at her. 

Despite her courage and conviction, Leslie had still held herself apart from those around her. Literally and figuratively. She hugged the edges of rooms and kept her arms wrapped around herself, anything to prevent her hands from accidently reaching out and touching someone inadvertently. Everyone and everything was always kept closed off, away from her, and she liked it that way. 

Except for her work. Her work was everything to her, and her work was always given her all, every single piece of her. It was what had launched into stardom in DC, and what would keep her on her pedestal so that she could rise even further someday in the future. 

When she was finally confirmed to the Senate, she took with her the same mentality she’d had in high school: Don't get too close and they can't hurt you as much. Don't expose the soft underbelly. Being with like-minded people helped her soften a bit as she realized she didn't have to keep people at arms-length; hands-length was enough. And suddenly there were men aplenty, men who made it obvious they would welcome her attention, many who pursued her. Her wariness was deeply engrained, though, and it was tough to break out of old habits, but she did try. Unfortunately, her attempts at dating had been spectacularly unsuccessful. Ever since she could remember, she had dreamed of an epic romance, a love like the ones found in the lyrics of a deeply poetic song or in the final reel of an old black and white movie, but life wasn’t like the movies. She had a few encounters, but most ended up as one night stand where the guy left without a word before morning. Leslie decided either she was horrible in bed or she just wasn’t the kind of girl that people imagined being in a relationship with and – let’s face it – neither option made her anxious to try again. She quickly realized that she needed emotional attachment in order to have sex and since she wasn’t getting it, she stopped.

Time passed and soon she was living out her wildest career dreams. As things in that avenue of her life got better, she started to wonder if maybe it was time to open herself up to the possibility of love again, but in this world, she couldn’t discern who was actually interested in her and who was only interested in getting close to her because she was now the darling of the Senate. The false faces everyone wore there turned her stomach, so she stayed far out of reach of the men that haunted this part of society. Everywhere she went, she was surrounded by men who didn't care about _her_ , only her status, and she felt her cynicism grow. And, of course, success was not without its price. Suddenly the bullying was back — from the right wing media and politicians from the opposing party, from anonymous people on the internet, from colleagues who were willing to do anything to get ahead, and others in politics who regularly picked on those beneath them in the food chain.

So there she was — a star in the making, but no less lonely, no less unsure of her place in the world. She found the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

After having reluctantly agreed to Jen’s not-really-a-suggestion that she hire Ben, she had found herself swept up in a whirlwind of plans. When Jen had asked Ben when he could start, he had replied with a disgustingly peppy “No time like the present,” and before Leslie knew it, she had found herself in the car – after watching Ben perform a quick security sweep of the garage that Leslie found wholly unnecessary – driving them both to her house. Ben had come to Indiana just to take Leslie on as a client, so he didn’t have a car. He’d come right from the airport to Jen’s office, so he had all of his belongings with him and would send for the remainder the next day.

Leslie made a right turn towards her house in Pawnee and gave thanks that she was the one doing the driving, as it kept her from spending too much time looking at Ben. They were only ten minutes from Leslie’s house when Ben broke the silence. “So, Leslie, tell me about what’s been going on with this potential stalker.”

“Didn’t Jen tell you all about it?”

“Yeah, but I want to get your take on it. Understand how seriously, or not, you’re taking this.”

Leslie squirmed in her seat a bit, uneasy with the topic. She downplayed the situation to Jen and pretended that it didn’t worry her, but it was definitely something that came to mind from time to time. “About three months ago I started to get these letters, on almost a daily basis, from someone claiming to be my biggest fan. They were… intense right from the start, going on and on about how I had changed their life, how they’ve been my biggest fan since my campaign, how we were perfect for each other if only we could meet, that kind of thing. Hey, do you think this is some kind of record? Only a year since my campaign ended and I might already have a stalker?”

She could see her attempts to lighten the mood were not totally appreciated, so she continued on. “At first the letters came to Jen’s office, like all of my mail does since the campaign, but within a couple of weeks they started coming to my home. Eventually hand delivered packages began showing up and the letters started including details about what I had done that day, who I had seen, like someone was following me. I started getting hang-up calls from a blocked number and then a month ago a letter came that had a photo of me inside my house that someone had taken through the window. That was the last straw for Jen. She demanded I move to a new house with better security, rented under a fictitious name, and started having a car and driver pick me up almost every time I left the house.” Ben raised his eyebrow at her at that, and glanced around the car. “I know, I know. I rebelled this morning and insisted on driving myself.”

Ben shot her another look that promised that such rebellion was now in the past. “Did the new house make a difference?”

“I have been one hundred percent personal delivery free since I moved in and the letters have slowed to a trickle and kind of returned back to their original ‘I love you, you are my destiny’ vibe. I don’t know if they got bored with following me around or just can’t find me, but this is why I think Jen’s overreacting. Things are better. I don’t need a shadow.”

Ben ignored the last part of her statement. “You have personal protection at events, right? How long has that been going on?”

Leslie checked for traffic in her mirrors then made a left turn onto a quieter side street. “From the very beginning. Jen was worried about me being so open and honest about my life, and what I want to do in the Senate. And that I am supposedly a trailblazing woman in politics. She figured that would bring the crazies out, so she hired Richard — whom I affectionately call ‘The Mountain’, though never to his face — and he’s been with me for all big public events since. We’ve never really had a problem. Just slightly overzealous fans, obnoxious paparazzi, and a few ‘you’re going to burn in hell’ protestors because of my party affiliation, but who doesn’t have those, right?”

Leslie turned off the road onto a driveway and reached up to the visor above her head to push a button to open the giant, solidly built gate that blocked their way. It might have been just a rental, but Leslie always felt a sense of homecoming as soon as she saw her new residence. The house had been built in the 1920’s and had been recently been renovated, so it had all the modern comforts and updates, but still had a sense of history and was surrounded by lush gardens, the wisps of nature reminding her of her first love – the Parks and Recreation department. It was stylish, but not frivolous, much like its current occupant.

Leslie parked the car in the partially detached garage and crossed the short covered walkway to the back door of the house. She unlocked the door and keyed the code into the security system before motioning Ben inside for the grand tour. Leslie was proud of what he had been able to do with the place in just a few weeks. The house had come furnished with stylish furniture, so there was only so much she could do to make it her own, but the colors were neutral and the prints thankfully very tasteful, so she was happy. She had rearranged the rooms to great effect – if she did say so herself – and created a little haven that felt like home. She had stored away most of the loose décor items that had come with the house and put out her own personal things – pictures of her family and friends, her awards from her time in Pawnee government, framed posters of her female idols and inspirations, and favorite knick-knacks that she had collected over the years. It wasn't perfect and her office was still half-full of unopened boxes, but the house now said something about the personality of the person who lived there and she was content.

She watched Ben surreptitiously as they walked through the rooms of the house, caring more about what he thought than was sensible given that they had only known each other a few hours. Leslie chalked it up to the fact that Ben was only the third person to see what she had done with the place, Ann and her mother being the only other two. She was allowed to feel anxious until at least the fifth person. She showed Ben the two guest bedrooms and let him pick which one he wanted for his own. She then left Ben to unpack his small carry-on bag and went to the kitchen to pour them some drinks. She quickly mixed together some iced tea and came out of the kitchen to find Ben in the living room looking over a series of photos nestled on top of the fireplace mantle.

“Your family, I assume?” Ben asked, accepting a glass of tea from Leslie.

“Just my mom. She’s here in Indiana.”

“What are you going to tell her?”

Leslie didn’t even bother to pretend to misunderstand. “I’m not sure yet. She doesn’t know about the letters and I’d prefer to keep it that way. I don’t want to worry her and if I tell her that I now have a full-time bodyguard, there’s no way the whole story isn’t coming out. I think I’ll save that for another day.”

“Do you mind if I do a closer inspection of the house? I know Jen had a security company do an evaluation before you moved in, but I’d like to take another look, see if I find any security problems or changes I would recommend.”

“Of course, be my guest. Make yourself at home.”

Leslie watched as Ben scoped out the house, methodically reviewing it room-by-room. Leslie tried to act casual, but her eyes kept going to Ben’s round and – presumably – firm ass as he bent over to examine a door lock. Damn, she was going to be lucky to have a coherent thought for the entire time Ben was with her. Ben gave a walking commentary as he went through each room, helping Leslie to understand what he was doing and why, but most of the time Leslie just tuned out what he was saying and concentrated on the man himself. Ben’s demeanor was very formal and proper, yet strangely comforting and Leslie would bet that he was great working with kids –and his _hands_ , oh, she bet he was good with his hands. She admired Ben’s concentration and attention to detail – along with his ass, there was no missing _that_. It reminded Leslie of the thoroughness with which she treated her work as well.

As Ben rose up on his tip-toes to run his fingers along the top a window casing, Leslie’s eyes were once again drawn to the lines of his body, which were sleek and toned – though he was being done no favors by the ultra-basic, unflattering clothes he was wearing. Leslie had always thought she had good posture, but Ben put her to shame and she found herself pulling her shoulders back and lengthening her neck slightly to compensate.

Ben finished writing up some notes and excused himself so that he could call his company and have a few items sent to the house. Leslie watched him go, struggling to keep up her aloof façade. Ben was so confident and contained and Leslie envied that. Sometimes she felt like she was a big fraud and that at any moment someone was going to stand up, point at her, and loudly exclaim that she was an imposter, that losers like her didn’t belong in DC, in politics. She bet that Ben never had doubts like that. Leslie sighed and picked up the discarded glasses to take them back to the kitchen, wondering if it was too soon to call this whole bodyguard thing a disaster in the making.

\-------------------------------------------

Later that evening, Leslie walked out of her bedroom, making one last adjustment to the silver necklace clasped around her neck. She had promised another Indiana representative weeks ago that she would make an appearance at a party that she was throwing at a local restaurant, but she was feeling uneasy now that it would be her first public outing with her human barnacle.

She called out for Ben to hurry up as she leaned over to wipe a smudge from her new heels. She thought her selected ensemble captured the playful, yet edgy effect she was looking to achieve. Since hitting the DC scene, she had garnered quite the reputation for her fashion choices and was definitely feeling the pressure to look incredible and on-trend whenever she went out. Unlike Ben, who dressed like an accountant. Leslie paused as a sensible pair of loafers appeared next to her heels and she raised her eyes past the dark gray slacks and classic white button-up and striped tie to Ben’s face. “I did say we’re going to a fancy restaurant, right? Not an actuary convention.”

Ben looked down at his clothes self-consciously and reached up a hand to smooth away a non-existent wrinkle. “Sorry, I don’t have much with me today, though the rest of my clothes aren’t much better. I try and blend into the background when I’m working with kids and I’m always working, so this kind of thing is really all I own these days.”

Leslie rolled her eyes and made a mental note to take Ben shopping. There was no way she was going to be photographed constantly with Ben dressed the way he was. Just the association alone would bring her down.

The car, driven by Leslie’s regular chauffer, arrived and Ben hurried out first to introduce himself. He opened the SUV door for Leslie and made sure they were both buckled in before giving the driver the signal to head out. It only took them about twenty minutes to reach the restaurant, during which time Leslie tried to keep her mind off of Ben, but her eyes kept returning to him over and over. He was cute, _so_ cute, even in his nerdy garb. But Ben didn’t seem to have the same problem, spending the first few minutes watching the cars behind them to make sure they weren’t followed before settling in to read through a file he had brought with him.

When they arrived at the restaurant’s entrance, Ben got out first and did a discreet scan of the area before opening the door for Leslie. He gently took ahold of Leslie’s hand to help her down from the SUV and the gentlemanly move had Leslie suppressing a sigh that would have done a teenage girl proud. Leslie knew it was all part of the job, but she got a little thrill from the old-fashioned courtesy… though she would never admit it.

The inside of the restaurant was unpredictably loud and the drum of the music showed no imagination or originality, but the crowd seemed to be having a good time. Her colleague, who had worked with her on her first bill, was throwing the party to celebrate another bill that had been passed, so the room was filled with the usual suspects of politicians hailing from her home state. Leslie heard a squeal rise above the music when her counterpart saw her and Leslie submitted to her bone crushing hug. She introduced Ben as a friend visiting from out-of-town and pretended not to see the half-questioning, half-calculating look she shot her way. They talked for a bit before her colleague peeled away to great the next newcomer and then she and Ben went to the bar to grab drinks. Once they had Leslie’s fruity drink of choice – with added paper umbrella, thank you very much – and Ben’s ginger ale, they threaded their way back through the mob to the seating area.

Leslie grabbed a seat on an empty sofa against the back wall, as far away from the main action as possible while still remaining inside the restaurant. Ben looked torn for a moment while he decided where to sit, finally selecting a chair next to Leslie instead of joining her on the sofa, perhaps knowing that Leslie needed to maintain some semblance of personal space in the midst of all of this political chaos. As they sat and watched the other patrons eat, talk, drink and laugh, Leslie ran her hand back and forth across the soft suede of the sofa, letting some of the tension of the day drain out, carried away by the textures rubbing up against the pads of her fingers.

She was so caught up in the hypnotic movements of those around her engaging in lively conservation and dining, and the velvety feeling under her fingertips that she gave a jump of surprise when she felt the sofa dip with the weight of a body settling in beside her. She turned to see a man that she vaguely recognized as one of the aides to another in her own party who she had met briefly before. A quick check showed that Ben was watching the situation carefully, though stealthily, his drink set aside, body arranged in a deceptively casual pose, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation. Leslie greeted the man (John? Patrick?) with a friendly, yet reserved “hello”. They spoke for a few minutes and as the man got friendlier and moved in closer, Leslie could feel herself withdraw. It wasn’t that the man was doing anything wrong, because he wasn’t, it was just that Leslie had never really become comfortable with being hit on, _especially_ not in the presence of those with whom she worked. She was flattered, of course, but no matter how many years passed and how many new experiences she had, she still felt like that outcast kid in high school that no one wanted.

When the man reached over to place his hand of Leslie’s knee, Leslie knew she had reached her limit. She crossed her arms protectively across her middle and shot a glance at Ben, hoping that her message was clear.

Ben, who had been keeping his distance, clearly not wanting to overstep, especially since they weren’t playing the boyfriend card yet, immediately jumped into action. He moved over next to Leslie and sat lightly on the arm of the sofa next to her shoulder, not quite touching her, but only inches away. She didn’t say anything, but just looked pointedly at the man until he shifted uncomfortably and made a lame excuse before making a hasty exit. Ben remained where he was as a few other acquaintances stopped by to speak with Leslie.

Eventually the throng of politicians and aides alike got larger and started to encroach on the seating area. A giggling girl stumbled by, spilling her drink on Leslie. She gave the girl a look that should have turned her to stone, but she didn’t seem to notice, concentrating only on making a bee-line for the bar to get a replacement drink.

Leslie set aside her barely touched drink. She hated parties like this. She was miserable and could feel alcohol soaking into her skin through the wet fabric. She just wanted to go home and relax, was that too much to ask? She checked the time on her phone and determined that she had paid her dues and could now slip out without being considered rude.

At her signal, Ben called the car to meet them at the exit. Leslie said her goodbyes and before she knew it, they were on the way back to her house.

After an awkward ‘goodnight’ and a few hours of watching anything that would detach her from her own reality while snuggled beneath her comforter, Leslie turned off the light and thought about the events of the day and wondered how this was going to change her life. She wiggled deeper into her mattress and fell asleep humming songs from the soundtrack to the movie _The Bodyguard_.


	3. Chapter 3

_Reminder! Make sure to tune in Thursday night. Leslie’s going to be on The Tonight Show!_

\-------------------------------------------

The next few days were uneventful as Ben and Leslie tried to find a rhythm for their uneasy co-habitation. Leslie had a week off while the Senate was not in session, so she used the time to read bills, sign letters to constituents, catch up on fan mail, and watch television locked away in her room. Ben could appreciate how hard the situation must be for Leslie, for he could already tell that she was someone who liked — who needed — her personal space, but he couldn’t help but be a little frustrated at their lack of interaction. Things would only get more comfortable between them if they were able to move onto being more than polite strangers and that was difficult to do with Leslie finding a million and one things to do other than talk to Ben. There was hope, though; every once in awhile Ben would catch Leslie watching him, looking as if she wanted to say something, but she always glanced away quickly and pretended to be busy with something else.

There was an advantage to Leslie finding projects to occupy herself with. It was during those times, when Leslie would sit quietly in a chair for hours, reading or wearing out a pen signing various items – because she was the type of person who _had_ to sign them herself, not use a stamp with her name on it – that Ben was able to take his time and really observe her. It was interesting to see how the real woman differed from Ben’s preconceptions of her. On screen, Leslie was ethereal and almost delicate, the light illuminating her skin to the point where she almost seemed to glow. He’d watcher her in her element on CSPAN or CNN or Meet The Press, and she had always been surprisingly vulnerable and raw, with every thought, every emotion, playing out on her face. Given the speeches and interviews he had seen, Ben had expected Leslie to be energetic, warm, and open with an engaging sense of humor and she was definitely all those things at times, but she more often tended to be low key and aloof, observing those around her with a wary eye. The sense of humor was definitely there, but it had a harder edge to it, a cynicism and judgmental core, that Ben hadn’t expected from her.

In person, Leslie was even more beautiful, each turn of her head exposing a new angle, a new flash of color in her eyes that fascinated him. She was smaller than she appeared onscreen and although he’d always been a man who preferred brunettes, this blonde in particular set her apart. Perhaps the most unexpected thing about Leslie as a real person was how drawn to her Ben was. He’d met famous people before and had never been really impressed, so he hadn’t come into this job expecting to feel anything except dedication to a client, and perhaps, if he was lucky, friendship.

When he wasn’t occupied with trying to analyze the mystery that was Leslie Knope, Ben read through the files on the stalking case that had been put together by the security agency Jen had hired earlier. He read the letters and looked through the photos, trying to get a handle on the mentality and motivation behind them. He familiarized himself with Leslie’s upcoming schedule and messaged back-and-forth with a few other bodyguards that he knew had worked closely with politicians and government employees who were having security issues in order to get any insights they might have. Finally, he spoke with Richard, Leslie’s ‘official’ bodyguard, to make sure they were on the same page and to talk about their strategy for the times when they would both be present at an event.

The short lull in activity ended on Thursday when Leslie began preparing for her appearance on The Tonight Show that evening. Leslie didn’t work with a stylist, so she spent the morning selecting the perfect outfit to wear. Ben was reading in the living room when Leslie sailed in wearing the first of several options she had narrowed herself down to.

“What do you think of this one? I’m looking to strike the right balance between trendsetter and classically beautiful. Although why I’m asking the opinion of someone wearing a sweater vest, I’ll never know. I might as well go ask the homeless guy that lives across from the McDonalds.”

“Well, if you don’t want my opinion…” Ben trailed off, looking back down at his paperwork and pretending to lose interest in Leslie.

“No! _No._ I’m sorry. I’m just usually not so indecisive about what I’m going to wear. My ability to put together an amazing ensemble is one of the only things in my control, and is one of my many talents, so this is kind of throwing me. It’s my first late night talk show and I guess I’m kind of nervous and when I get nervous, I tend to compensate by upping the bitch factor. I really want your opinion. Please?” Leslie bit her lower lip slightly and gave Ben big, sad puppy dog eyes.

Ben looked closer at the black dress Leslie was wearing. “I saw an interview last week with the girl from that new med school show and she was wearing the same dress.”

Leslie gave a squeak of horror. “No way! They’ll feature me on _Fashion Police_ and that is so not the way I want to get on that show for the first time.”

Ben had a hard time containing his laughter at the look on Leslie’s face as she imagined Joan Rivers ripping her apart while trying to decide if she or the other celebrity had worn the dress better. He was still chuckling to himself when Leslie returned from her room in a new outfit and struck a ‘ta-da’ pose. Suddenly, things weren’t so funny anymore. Ben was glad for the poker face he had perfected as a bodyguard because fuck, Leslie looked good. Her blue blazer with a light blue shirt underneath were professional and not over the top and the textured black pants were so tight that Ben nearly choked on his tongue. “That…” he cleared his throat to clear the frog that had taken up residence, “that looks great. You should always wear blue. It makes your eyes look really… um… blue.” Ben mentally face palmed at his inability to speak articulately (so unprofessional Ben, get it together), but thankfully Leslie didn’t seem to notice.

With her outfit decided on, Leslie returned to her room to wrap it up in a suit bag and put together the rest of her supplies.

Ann, Leslie’s publicist and best friend, arrived in a limo around one o’clock to take them to New York City for the taping. Leslie gathered up her purse and suit bag and headed to the door, turning back to snap her fingers at Ben to speed him up. Ben felt his hackles rise slightly at the gesture and mentally started a ‘topics to discuss with Leslie’ list in his head.

Their flight and subsequent ride to the studio went quickly, with Leslie and Ann going over the list of stories and anecdotes Leslie had put together for things to talk about on the show. Ann helped her pare the list down to a few options to present to Jimmy and also confirmed that a video they had prepared had already been sent to the show’s production department. Ben just sat back and listened, fascinated by his first real exposure into the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry.

After they arrived at the television studio, they were met by a production assistant who showed them to Leslie’s dressing room. Donna, the hair and makeup artist Leslie had been using since she had campaigned for her Senate seat was already waiting for them there. She did her makeup (“Honestly Leslie, if you get any paler, you’re going to blow out the white balance on the cameras.”) and had just finished blowing her hair out when the host, Jimmy Fallon, stopped by to greet them. He and Leslie discussed a quick skit they were going to shoot that would be used on a later show and then headed out to the parking lot to film it.

Because the show taped in front of a live audience, who were already waiting in line, Ben kept a watchful eye out as they filmed. Public events, where an announcement was made ahead of time indicating where Leslie would be, were the ones that concerned him the most from a security standpoint. Ben made a point of keeping his eyes off of Leslie, instead sweeping them over the surrounding buildings and the people who had gathered to watch the proceedings. Now was not the time to become distracted by the woman who had proved to be more interesting that Ben had ever imagined.

With about an hour left before the taping of the show itself was to begin, Ben joined Leslie and Ann in the green room backstage, where they met the other celebrity guest and the musical performer. Just as she had done at the party the week before, Leslie stayed mostly to herself after politely greeting everyone. She took a seat on the chair furthest from the conversation and pulled out her phone. A few moments later, Ben felt his own phone vibrate and he pulled it out to see a Twitter update from Leslie.

_First time on The Tonight Show! I hope I don’t pass out. Wish me luck! #talkshowvirgin_

Finally, show time arrived and Leslie was given her five minute warning. Ben followed her from the green room out towards the stage, where they were stopped in a holding area. From his location, Ben could see up into the studio audience and he scanned the faces carefully, trying to catalog as many as he could so that he could start to pick out people who showed up to Leslie’s events over and over. When he was done, he turned his attention to Leslie, who was waiting patiently for her cue. She was standing just out of view of the audience, quiet and not really looking at anything in particular. Ben could see a tightness and unease in Leslie’s eyes, a vulnerability that he found ridiculously attractive and that called out to his protective nature. Then Jimmy called Leslie’s name and a transformation occurred. Leslie stood up straighter, the tension melting away from her face, and within seconds she was ‘Leslie Knope, Political ‘It’ Girl’. She strode confidently around the corner and out onto the stage, the star everyone expected her to be, poised and elegant but a fighter for what she believed in. But Ben couldn’t forget the glimpse he’d had of the more vulnerable Leslie and he suddenly had hope that they’d be able to make their whole crazy situation work.

The crowd cheered wildly when Leslie stepped out onto the stage. She waved ‘hello’ to the audience and greeted Jimmy, who thanked her for appearing on the show before diving into their pre-arranged questions.  
“So, big campaign that you ran and even bigger things you’re doing the Senate. I hear some awards might be in your future.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. You never really go into thinking of awards, you know. You just want to do a good job and do whatever you can to make the constituents happy.” Leslie said modestly.

“You’ve come so far in just five months. How did you get on such great committees and get a lot of things done your first time out?”

“I always knew I wanted to run for office, so I ran a Congressional campaign, but I didn’t win,” The audience interrupted with cries of disbelief and protests. “I know, right? Boo! I didn’t win, but I decided I wasn’t going to let that stop me. It taught me so many lessons, and it just further fueled my dream and passion of one day serving in a higher government office. I didn’t run again for a few years because I wanted more experience and when the time was right, I decided to make a run for Senate. This time, I did win. It’s been kind of a whirlwind, as you can imagine.”

Jimmy laughed and winked at the audience. “I bet you have a few choice things to say to the people who didn’t vote for you during your Congressional campaign, huh?”

“Oh, gosh no. I’m actually really grateful I didn’t win. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I had won then. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

“How did it feel to win? I mean, you’re so young and you’re already making such a name for yourself. I’m not sure anyone in the history of the Senate has garnered as much attention as you have, Senator Knope.”

“It’s still kind of hard for me to believe. I mean, I wasn’t the most popular in high school and my dreams weren’t well understood. Just a few years earlier, I was just another government employee working at the Parks and Recreation Department in Pawnee, at the bottom of the political food chain and now I’m a Senator for the state I love. I sometimes think it might have all been some big mistake and someday I’ll wake up from this perpetual dream I’m in. But it better not be. I’ll fight for it.”

“I’m sure everyone here has a hard time picturing you as unpopular in high school.” There were a few shouts of agreement from people in the audience. “Were you in something like the Model UN, student government, anything like that?”

“I was _definitely_ a member of the Model UN. I never ran for office though, I was so off the radar that I would have gotten creamed. There’s no way I would have embarrassed myself like that.”

“You had to belong to some clubs, right?”

“Of course! I was probably the president of every single one. I also started the Pawnee Goddesses, which is our version of Girl Scouts. I tried to become a Pawnee Ranger, a Boy Scout basically, but they said I couldn’t join so I created my own club instead.” Leslie reported with some pride.

Jimmy smirked at her and gave her a knowing smile. “Pawnee Goddess, huh?”

“Oh no, you have a video, don't you?” Leslie looked out at the audience with an expression of embarrassment mixed with resignation.

“We might have received a compilation of your greatest moments from an old friend.”

The video began playing, starting with an obviously much younger Leslie proclaiming that she would someday become the Governor of Indiana. The “awwws” from the women in the crowd at the adorableness of young Leslie filled the studio and Ben saw that Leslie was caught off guard a little at the reaction. The video played through clips of Leslie, a montage of her throughout the years (item number two now on Ben’s ‘topics to discuss with Leslie’ list) and her transition from young and hopeful to living out her wildest dreams.

The video ended and the audience yelled their appreciation. The camera returned to Leslie, who groaned out loud before sarcastically adding, “I’m so glad someone saved those recordings.”

Jimmy snickered and made a joke about Leslie blossoming into a beautiful swan, not an ugly duckling, that sent another ripple of screams through the women and men alike in the studio. Leslie blushed wildly and seemed at a loss for words, so Jimmy came to her rescue and changed the subject to the new bill Leslie was working on. A minute later, the interview was over and Leslie was done for the evening.

\-------------------------------------------

That evening proceeded along the same lines as all of the others since Ben had arrived, with a quiet dinner, a little bit of reading in the living room, and Leslie saying goodnight and retiring early to watch television in her room. As the broadcast time of The Tonight Show drew closer, Leslie found she was a little restless and couldn’t put her finger on why. It had been a good day and she was about to watch her first appearance on a major late night talk show. What could be wrong? She could hear the sound of Ben puttering around the house through her closed door and suddenly realized what was bothering her. This was another big milestone in her career, something that would only happen once and there she was, about to watch it all alone with no one to help her rejoice in her success or help her mark the event.

Leslie picked up the remote and turned the television off with a determined click. She slipped on her Wamapoke County hoodie and squared her shoulders before opening the bedroom door and striding out into the living room. She found Ben sitting on the sofa, reading something on his laptop. He looked up when he felt Leslie’s presence and sent her a questioning look.

“Will you think me a complete narcissist if I watch my interview when it comes on?” Leslie asked, cursing the slight waver in her voice.

“What, are you kidding? Of course you want to watch it.”

“Would… would you like to join me?”

“I wouldn’t miss it. I’ll make us some popcorn.”

Before Leslie knew it, she and Ben were sitting before the large flat screen television with bowls of popcorn in their laps. As the show time drew closer, Leslie felt more apprehensive. What if she came across as uppity or arrogant? She knew that she sometimes had the tendency to veer into those not so attractive areas and she had been trying to work on it.

The show started and Leslie waited impatiently through the monologue and the interview with the first guest, stuffing her face with handfuls of popcorn. Finally, she heard Jimmy call out her name and she preened a little at the cheers that erupted when she came on stage. She looked critically at the way her outfit appeared on camera and decided with a satisfied nod that it made the exact statement she had been going for. She watched the interview unfold and was very happy with the way it went. One couldn’t always tell how something was going to come across on tape; sometimes interviews that felt the best in person came across as dull or stilted when seen through the eye of the camera.

Leslie watched happily until the video montage of her came on screen. When the video started, she sunk down in her seat and buried her face in his hands. “Ugh… why did I let Ann convince me to show that? _So_ mortifying.”

“It was adorable. The crowd ate it up.” Ben nudged his shoulder against Leslie’s supportively.

The interview was over all too soon. Leslie kept the television on to watch the rest of the show, but more from a desire to not appear completely self-involved than from any real interest in the other guest. As the credits began to roll, she picked up the remote and turned the set off.

“You did a great job,” Ben said encouragingly. “Really relatable. You should be really proud. I bet all the other shows are going to beat your door down for interviews now.”

Leslie could feel a blush heating up her cheeks. “They just like anyone who’s willing to humiliate themselves on national television. Oh well, anything for applause, right? Well, I’m off to bed. I’ll see you in the morning. Don’t let the bed bugs bite!”

Leslie fled to her room and collapsed against the door as soon as it closed. 

Bed bugs. 

_Smooth, Leslie. Real smooth._


End file.
